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Thứ Năm, 30 tháng 5, 2013

Do Girls Think It's Important for More Women to Enter Science and Technology Careers?

The answer is yes! Mandy, a Girl Scout Senior from Texas, talks about why she thinks it's important that more women enter science and technology careers. Check out her video below. For more great stories from girls like Mandy, go to Girl Scouts For Girls.



According to the Girl Scout Research Institute study Generation STEM: What Girls Say about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, though a majority of today’s girls have a clear interest in STEM, they don’t prioritize STEM fields when thinking about their future careers.

The study shows that 74 percent of teen girls are interested in STEM subjects and the general field of study. Further, a high 82 percent of girls see themselves as “smart enough to have a career in STEM.” And yet, few girls consider it their number-one career option: 81 percent of girls interested in STEM are interested in pursuing STEM careers, but only 13 percent say it’s their first choice. Additionally, girls express that they don’t know a lot about STEM careers and the opportunities afforded by these fields, with 60 percent of STEM-interested girls acknowledging that they know more about other careers than they do about STEM careers.

Thứ Sáu, 24 tháng 5, 2013

Katherine Legge to Carry Girl Scout Logo on Helmet at Indianapolis 500 to Support Girl Scouts


Indianapolis 500 driver Katherine Legge will honor millions of Girl Scouts by wearing the Girl Scout logo on her helmet this Sunday when she competes for the second time in the greatest spectacle in motorsports.  The first woman to win a major open-wheel race in North America, Legge attributes much of her success to the confidence and character she developed while growing up in the United Kingdom as a Girl Guide, part of a sister organization to Girl Scouts.  She became one of just nine women ever to race in the Indianapolis 500 when she competed in her first Indy 500 last year, also wearing the Girl Scout logo, and she is one of only four women racing in the 33-car field this year.

The logo will be worn to call attention to the cause of girls’ leadership and the need to encourage more girls in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).  “I had to fight to get into this year’s Indianapolis 500, and carrying Girl Scouts’ logo on my helmet reminds me of what got me here,” says Legge. “When I was a young girl, Girl Guides inspired me to believe in myself and my ability to achieve my dreams.  I’m proud to bring the Girl Scout logo to the most important race in the world as a reminder that women can succeed in any field if they believe in themselves and work hard.”

Girl Scouts of the USA has been helping girls break career barriers for more than 100 years. In 1913, Girl Scouts encouraged girls to consider becoming professional aviators. Today, the organization is focused entirely on giving girls the skills they need to become leaders in their own lives.

One of the ways Girl Scouts is helping encourage leadership skills today is by supporting girls who wish to pursue careers in science, math, engineering and technology (STEM).  Girl Scout Research Institute’s 2012 study, Generation STEM: What Girls Say about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, found that girls are aware that gender barriers persist in today's society. The study found that 57 percent of girls agreed that if they were to pursue a STEM career, they would "have to work harder than a man to be taken seriously." The study also found that 89 percent of all girls agree that "obstacles make me stronger."

Legge works with Girl Scouting as a STEM ambassador to help girls overcome obstacles to their interest in these fields. As a successful competitor in the male-dominated sport of racing, Legge exemplifies qualities girls need to succeed in STEM, including a strong understanding of math and the sciences, being team-oriented, and working diligently toward a defined goal.

Thứ Năm, 23 tháng 5, 2013

Girl Scouts of the USA Joins in Support as Rep. Susan Brooks and Rep. Ron Kind Introduce Bipartisan Pension Relief Legislation for Charities


The Wall Street Journal reports that today, U.S. Reps. Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Ron Kind (D- WI) introduced bipartisan legislation to provide relief to non-profits such as local Girl Scout councils, which now have higher pension funding rules than taxable, for-profit companies. This bill, the Charitable Pension Flexibility Act, which was developed in collaboration with Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), enables Girl Scouts and similar charities with affiliates, such as universities and non-profit hospitals, to opt-in early starting next year to the pension funding rules that cover corporate plans.

“As a former Girl Scout, I am pleased to support charitable organizations like the Girl Scouts as they seek a level playing field with corporate America when it comes to pension funding requirements,” said Rep. Brooks. “This common sense legislation provides much needed flexibility allowing organizations such as the Girl Scouts to continue serving communities in Indiana and across our nation. Helping local Girl Scout councils succeed ensures millions of girls continue benefiting from the life-long leadership lessons the organization provides.”

The Charitable Pension Flexibility Act applies to charity pension plans with multiple entities that are exempt from normal pension funding rules until 2017. This straightforward bill would permit such plans to elect into the normal rules in 2014. A technical correction that previously passed the Senate would have permitted this same option.

“We applaud the bipartisan leadership of Congresswoman Susan Brooks and Congressman Ron Kind,” said Anna Maria Chávez, Chief Executive Officer at Girl Scouts of the USA. “The pension issue is critical, and with every day that goes by it’s threatening our councils’ ability to continue vital programs, offer opportunities to girls, retain the staff and develop the volunteers who make our organization a powerful force in the lives of young women.”

Absent prompt Congressional relief, local Girl Scout councils will have to cut programs, lay off staff, and engage in other cost-cutting measures. Local councils are facing a 40 percent increase in their pension expense next year and a 62 percent increase over the next three years. Overall, councils across the country will have to contribute $36 million more than a corporate plan sponsor would in the same situation. This translates into approximately 113,000 girls losing the benefits of Girl Scouting.

“The Girl Scouts do great work in Wisconsin and across the country, teaching girls and young women strong values and leadership skills that will help make them the future leaders of America,” said Rep. Kind. “For over 100 years their name has been synonymous with integrity, courage, and community service, and I’m proud to support efforts to help keep their organization strong.”

Guest Post: A Message from Anna Maria Chávez

Guest Post: A Message from Anna Maria Chávez

A special message from Anna Maria Chávez, CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA

I stand with all Girl Scouts across the country and around the world in offering my thoughts and prayers to all of those who have been affected by the massive and devastating tornado that tore through the Oklahoma City area on Monday. As Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said, it was a tragic day for the people of her state and, indeed, for all of us, as the death toll now stands at 24 and includes a Girl Scout, who was a member of the Girl Scouts-Western Oklahoma Council.

All staff members of the Girl Scouts-Western Oklahoma Council, which is based in Oklahoma City, are accounted for and safe. The council appreciates all of the good wishes, but is unable to handle all of the calls and emails at this time. We ask that you not call or email the council, but instead check its website or Facebook and Twitter feeds for the latest information. The council also cannot accommodate material donations, such as blankets and other goods. Instead, the council has created the Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma Tornado Relief Fund that will help get troops back up and running, provide scholarships for program and camp participation, and offer other support to Girl Scouts in the affected areas. You can text the word GIRLS to 20222 to make a $10 donation. In addition, the council is encouraging girls to send messages or art in the shape of the Girl Scout trefoil that it will present this summer to Girl Scouts affected by the storm. Send your trefoil artwork to:

Girl Scouts-Western Oklahoma
Mary Nichols' Family Leadership Center
6100 N. Robinson Ave.
Oklahoma City, Okla. 73118

I want to thank everyone for their thoughtful messages of caring and concern for our sisters at the Girl Scouts-Western Oklahoma Council. Even as we grieve for our sister Girl Scout and all those who lost their lives, we are sustained by the resilience of the human spirit and the knowledge that the people of Oklahoma will, in time, recover and rebuild. We have endured in the past year a number of terrible and tragic events, and throughout it all, Girl Scouts have shown remarkable courage, commitment, and leadership. I know that our girls and adult volunteers will do so again in the wake of this tragedy.

Sincerely,

Anna Maria Chávez
Chief Executive Officer
Girl Scouts of the USA

Thứ Tư, 22 tháng 5, 2013

Girl Scouts 2013 National Young Women of Distinction: Jamila

The victims of civil war in Uganda might be far away, but this Florida Girl Scout took her fight to help improve the situation there to Congress as part of her Gold Award project. Check out a video about Jamila, a 2013 National Young Woman of Distinction, below!





In seventh grade, Jamila was introduced to Invisible Children Organization and wanted to raise awareness about the youth of war torn Northern Uganda and bring to light the heinous crimes of Dictator Joseph Kony and the need for education and rebuilding of Uganda. Working in partnership with the Invisible Children, Jamila started the Global Outreach Club that brought to light the Invisible Children to local school peers. She held Roots for Peace Festival. Proceeds went to purchase education supplies for sister schools. Jamila showed documentary films to peers and worked to feature a student guest speaker from Uganda. Finally, Jamila advocated with local legislators about the importance of the Invisible Children Organization and their work. She established a committee and worked with her Inter Club Council to ensure that participation will continue.

Thứ Hai, 20 tháng 5, 2013

Girl Scouts 2013 National Young Women of Distinction: Brianna

The earlier young children learn "heart lessons" like caring, sharing, and treating others as they would like to be treated, the more successful they will be in life. That's the theory that powered the Gold Award project by this Nebraska Girl Scout, who wrote plays and built puppet theater sets in partnership with a local children's organization that will teach and entertain generations to come.


Growing up, Brianna loved to put on plays and puppet shows for her little sister. She donated a children’s puppet theater to the non-profit organization, Completely Kids. With help from her friends and family, Brianna designed and created the puppet theater and sponsored thirty puppets. She also wrote ten different scripts emphasizing “heart” lessons and led a donation drive to collect costumes so the children could dress up and role-play as their favorite “Community Hero” such as firemen, policemen, and doctors and be part of the plays. The puppet theater will help the children at Completely Kids learn to share, be kind to one another, gain confidence and many more valuable skills. Completely Kids has allocated funds to replenish the puppets so children may enjoy the theater for years to come.

Thứ Sáu, 17 tháng 5, 2013

Join the Girl Scout Gold Award Facebook Community and Conversation!

Girl Scout Gold Award recipients are young women of extraordinary achievement who have made the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award community Facebook page pairs Gold Award Alumnae and its equivalent from 1916 with girls currently earning their Gold Award.


Log onto Facebook and join the Girl Scout Gold Award community and conversation! Share your stories and make new friends!

Now check out this awesome Girl Scout Gold Award recipient! The world needs more girls in STEM careers. For her Gold Award project, this Georgia Girl Scout started a STEM career finder website that's since gone global, drawing girls from Atlanta to Africa.

Thứ Năm, 16 tháng 5, 2013

Daniel Boockvar Appointed First-Ever Chief Customer Officer at Girl Scouts of the USA


Girl Scouts of the USA announced today that Daniel Boockvar has been appointed the organization's first-ever Chief Customer Officer. Boockvar, who has been a senior executive at Weight Watchers International for nearly a dozen years, will join Girl Scouts on May 20, 2013.

Boockvar currently serves as Senior Vice President of U.S. Operations at Weight Watchers, where he has a broad portfolio of duties including responsibility for meeting the needs of over a million Weight Watchers members a week across 20,000 locations and overseeing approximately 20,000 employees. Boockvar joined Weight Watchers in 2002 as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel and steadily moved up the ranks, serving as Vice President of Operations and Sales and later Senior Vice President for Global Business Development.

During his tenure, he helped steward major transformational initiatives for Weight Watchers that include rolling out new national programs, introducing new products and partnerships, launching new stores, and opening new markets in China and Mexico. He began his career at the law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and worked in sales and business development at several Internet/e-Commerce-based entrepreneurial ventures before joining Weight Watchers.

"Danny is the perfect fit for this key leadership position," said Anna Maria Chávez, Chief Executive Officer at GSUSA. "His considerable experience and expertise in managing a large, multi-unit membership-based service organization for an iconic global brand will be invaluable to the Girl Scouts as we move into our next 100 years of building girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place."

In his new role at Girl Scouts, Boockvar will report directly to Chávez  and will be responsible for helping GSUSA build its organizational muscle and make it even more service oriented and customer focused to better serve and engage its 3.2-million members. The position will be integral to the organization's operations and efforts to drive increased membership through better experiences and relationships with its customers--from its 112 councils, to girls, to adult volunteers and beyond.

"I am so honored to join what I consider the single most important organization for girls in the history of this country," Boockvar said. "The opportunity to be a part of this storied, vibrant brand with its unique mission, and to apply my background, experience, and passion is something that I am very excited about."

Thứ Tư, 15 tháng 5, 2013

Girl Scouts Launches BFF Bully-Prevention Program, Local Girl Scout Produces Acclaimed Anti-bullying PSA

Girl Scouts of the USA is excited to launch BFF(Be a Friend First), a national bully-prevention initiative for middle school girls. Based on GSUSA's popular aMAZE! leadership curriculum, the program helps girls to recognize and intervene in bullying situations and lead positive change in their schools and communities. Sadly, statistics show that when a girl is bullied, 85 percent of the time nobody steps in to help her.

Additional research shows girls are more likely to bully others subtly, through relational aggression--manipulating their relationships with other girls online and off--as opposed to using physical aggression. The same studies also show that bullying behavior peaks in middle school, when the need for social acceptance is high, making this a crucial time to help girls learn to prevent bullying.

"Girl Scouts is about growing girls into leaders, which includes teaching girls to recognize when something is inhibiting their development, such as relational bullying," said Anna Maria Chavez, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of the USA. "Giving girls the skills, support, and tools they need to stand up for themselves and others is a key component of leadership. We are creating a program that, with the guidance of adults, can help girls to make their world a better place on an issue that is important to them."

As part of a recent contest, Girl Scouts Speak Out! received PSAs from girls around the country who had a lot to say about bullying.

The Washington Post reports that Hannah, a High School freshman, entered the contest to create an anti-bullying public service announcement Although there’s no talking in the Hannah’s video, the message is clear.

“When you’re exclusive and mean you don’t make any friends, in fact you just make enemies,” Hannah wrote in her contest entry.

The video, called “Cliques”, won first place. The national competition encourages girls to create videos about important issues. Five finalists were chosen by online voting, and “Cliques” was among the top five, with more than 5,300 votes. Girl Scout officials picked Hannah’s video as the winner.

“Cliques,” which was filmed at Hannah’s school, stars 15 of her friends.


The need to prevent bullying is more important than ever because such behavior can affect a girl throughout her life. Bullying statistics show that almost 1/3 of all students ages 12--18 report that they have been bullied at school and 160,000 children miss school each day out of fear of being bullied.

For more information on BFF and how you can get involved or bring the program to your area, look here!

Thứ Ba, 14 tháng 5, 2013

Spotlight on Girl Scouts 2013 National Young Women of Distinction: Nicole

Disturbed by incidents of teen dating violence, this New Jersey Girl Scout got the state legislature to pass a law mandating violence-prevention programs in schools as part of her Gold Award project.


Chủ Nhật, 12 tháng 5, 2013

Happy Mother’s Day!


Guest Post: A Message from Anna Maria Chávez

A special message from Anna Maria Chávez, CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA

Today is Mother’s Day; a day when we pause to honor and give thanks to the all the amazing women who, through their patience, guidance, and infinite capacity for love and nurture,instill the values that inform our entire lives.

Mothers are a reservoir of love and compassion for girls and boys alike – there’s no wound she can’t heal with a kiss and a band-aid, no joy that can’t be sweetened by her embrace, no despair that can’t be softened by her love.

Of course, mothers are an invaluable part of the Girl Scout experience.  Mothers are the original role models – the ones who set the earliest example for young girls about leadership.  Whether she serves as a troop leader, volunteer or cookie mom, the incredible mother who gives freely of her time to help develop the next generation of female leaders is truly the life blood of our Movement.  

As a Girl Scout and a mother myself, I know firsthand the impact my own mother had on my Girl Scout journey, and I know the feeling of boundless love and joy that comes from being a mom.  So take a moment today to give thanks to the wonderful women in your life who taught you to enjoy and cherish every moment.

A very happy Mother’s Day to the moms who make our Movement and our world a better place.

Thứ Sáu, 10 tháng 5, 2013

Give Your Mother the Gift of History

Doing some last minute Mother's Day shopping? What better gift to give than a piece of history? Our Girl Scouts of the USA Commemorative Silver Dollar will make the perfect gift for your favorite Girl Scout mom or troop leader! Buy one now at www.fchiase.com/coin.

Video: Squawk Box Featuring Anna Maria Chávez


Girl Scouts of the USA CEO Anna Maria Chávez was on CNBC’s Squawk Box this morning—Check it out!

Thứ Năm, 9 tháng 5, 2013

Tune In: Squawk Box Featuring Anna Maria Chávez


Good news! Tomorrow morning, Joe Kernen, co-host of CNBC’s Squawk Box, will interview Girl Scouts of the USA CEO Anna Maria Chávez about our amazing track record building leaders—from business executives to political powerhouses—and the positive affect that Girl Scouting has on girls.

Designed to give viewers a jump on the business news of the day, Squawk Box is a fast-paced and informative business news program. But have your java ready, as the segment will air bright and early tomorrow from 6:50−7:00 a.m. EDT. (Check your local listings for the time the program airs in your area.)

Jobs@GSUSA: Andrea Bastiani Archibald

Once a month, we show how our readers a behind-the-scenes look at our work here at Girl Scouts' national headquarters. In each profile, we spotlight employees from different departments and the work they do to serve our 3.2 million members. Today, we are looking at Andrea Bastiani Archibald, Ph.D., Developmental Psychologist, Program Development & Research at Girl Scouts of the USA.

Andrea Bastiani Archibald never seems to stop. She juggles meetings at GSUSA, presentations on new research, and phone calls with parents and councils. As a developmental psychologist, she’s an active participant in every step of GSUSA’s creative process, ensuring that the programs and leadership experiences Girl Scouts receive help them achieve their goals.

Andrea works in what she calls a “research-to-action” cycle, overseeing each Girl Scout initiative from beginning to end in order to guarantee that girls get the best possible experience.  A typical cycle for Andrea begins when she collaborates with the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) to initiate research and learn what kinds of leadership experiences girls are looking for. Then she meets with GSUSA digital and print editorial teams to create program content that’s relevant and fun. Once the programs are rolled out, she teams up with GSRI again to learn what girls believe can be done to further their experiences. Recently, Andrea has been focusing on the new BFF (Be a Friend First) initiative, based on the aMAZE! leadership Journey. She hopes this Girl Scout anti-bullying initiative, now in the pilot phase with councils, will attract national and regional partners as well as more girls to Girl Scouting.

Andrea majored in psychology at Skidmore College and earned her PhD in Developmental Psychology at Columbia University. She spent most of her academic career researching and publishing studies about girls’ health and development. After working with girls in clinical settings, Andrea realized she was more interested in developing preventative programs to keep girls happy and strong.

One of the greatest challenges Andrea faces in her work is integrating the ideas of a wide variety of contributors in order to create effective Girl Scout program with measurable outcomes. She finds joy in many aspects of her work, from learning how a program directly impacts girls to talking with parents and councils about their roles in girls’ development and well being. Applying what she learned in academia to further the organization’s mission gives her great satisfaction. Above all, Andrea is glad to be part of an organization that supports girls changing the world in ways that only they can.

This interview was conducted by Elizabeth Venere, who is not only our social media content scout, but also a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient entering her senior year of college this fall. She provides GSUSA with awesome social media content.

Thứ Tư, 8 tháng 5, 2013

Mother's Day Gift Idea: 2013 Girl Scouts of the USA Commemorative Silver Dollar



Here’s a fresh gift idea that inspires and pays tribute to a piece of history—give the Girls Scouts of the USA Centennial Silver Dollar. For the first time ever, the Girl Scouts has a commemorative coin, one of only two commemorative coin programs that will be issued by the United States Mint this year, and the first dedicated to a girls’ organization. The commemorative coin is a great gift idea for Mother’s Day! It’s also a winning choice for girls, Girl Scout alumnae, coin collectors, and lovers of unique historical collectibles. President Obama signed the legislation authorizing minting of the coin after passage in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

This beautiful coin features three girls of different ages and backgrounds on the heads side, and on the reverse side it shows the Girl Scouts’ 100th Anniversary logo, along with the inscription COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, CHARACTER (from the Girl Scouts mission to “build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place”). See more about the coin at www.fchiase.com/coin.

The Girls Scouts of the USA Centennial Silver Dollar  will be available in uncirculated and proof qualities starting on February 28 while supplies last, at a cost of $X plus $4.95 shipping and handling. Place your order by calling 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468) or order online at www.usmint.gov.

Support the future of Girl Scouts while also giving a piece of history. The Girl Scouts of the USA will receive a $10 surcharge (already included) from your purchase for national program development and delivery.

Thứ Ba, 7 tháng 5, 2013

Leadership Skills Learned in the Girl Scouts Featured on Money With Melissa Francis


WNBA President Laurel J. Richie, Ingredion CEO Ilene Gordon and Rep. Susan Brooks, (R-Ind.), stopped by Fox Business to discuss why the Girl Scouts produce so many women leaders.

Spotlight on a Girl Scout Alumna and Gold Award Recipient

Jill Bader, Nashville native and communications director for the Republican State Leadership Committee in Washington, D.C., was recently the keynote speaker at the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee’s Salute to Outstanding Leadership Award ceremony. She is also a former aide to U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Girl Scouts of the USA, the Mitt Romney campaign and leads the Republican State Leadership Committee's Right Women, Right Now initiative to recruit more Republican women to run for state level office. She received her Girl Scout Gold Award in 2000.

“Today is a great day to be a girl”, writes Bader in a column for The Tennessean. “While there is still a long way to go to achieve total equality, there has been no better time to be a girl than in today’s America. Now, we teach our young women — just like their brothers — that they can become anything they desire to be and do anything they set their minds to do.”

Jill was on hand to honor 43 local young women receiving Girl Scouting’s highest honor, the Gold Award, as well as 576 girls earning their Silver and Bronze Awards.

“I make the following plea to girls everywhere: Appreciate all the opportunities we have today as women,” she continues. “When barriers arise, ask for help. Thank the community for welcoming you to the leadership table. Don’t just ask to sit down; pull up a chair and join us! Say yes — to going to college, to traveling abroad, to running for governor, to open a medical practice, to falling in love and raising a family.” Make sure to read the entire column here.

Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee currently serves 39 counties that include 7,130 volunteers and 14,031 Girl Scouts.

Thứ Hai, 6 tháng 5, 2013

Anna Maria Chávez to Moderate Panel at Forbes Women’s Summit

Girl Scouts of the USA Chief Executive Officer Anna Maria Chávez will be in some very impressive company on Thursday, May 9, when she takes part in the inaugural Forbes Women’s Summit: Power Redefined in New York City. The summit will feature a who’s who of accomplished women from Forbes Most Powerful Women, 30 Under 30, and Celebrity 100.

Chávez will be moderating a panel discussion on innovation and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The panelists include Ellen Kullman, chair of the board and chief executive officer of DuPont; Leslie Dewan, chief scientist at Transatomic Power; Susan Hockfield, president emerita of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Cori Lathan, chief executive officer at AnthroTronix.

Forbes is taking a different approach with the event in that it won’t focus on women’s issues, according to Moira Forbes, president and publisher of ForbesWoman, “but how a new generation of women can join forces with more traditional leaders to help solve society’s most critical issues—and redefine the notion of power through innovation and disruption.”

Girl Scouts will be well represented. Girl Scout National Board of Directors member Linda Descano, president and chief executive officer, Women & Co., and managing director and head of digital partnerships, content and social at Citi, and Girl Scout National Board of Directors member Cathy M. Coughlin, senior executive vice president and global marketing officer, AT&T Inc., are both participating.

Among some of the other participants include U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Huffington Post Media Group Editor-in-Chief Arianna Huffington and Anne Sweeney, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney ABC Television Group.

Thứ Năm, 2 tháng 5, 2013

Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Empowers Girls to Stand up Against Bullies Through Empathy


Lindsay Collett, Program Manager of Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland, recently wrote a column for Start Empathy.

"Power Up, developed by Girl Scouts of Colorado, focuses on encouraging the 85% of girls who are bystanders to bullying behavior—especially the gossip, exclusion, and drama common among girls—to stand up and defend targets and make the world a better place,” writes Collett. “The Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland decided to join in Colorado's efforts of empower young women to stand up to bullying. Doing nothing is not an option! By teaching girls how to think—instead of what to think—girls learn to trust their gut to know when they experience, witness, or perpetuate bullying; and to understand that no simple answer works in every situation.”

An all-girl program, Power Up is focused on preventing the unique verbal and relational bullying prevalent among girls.

“Though we haven’t had the program long—just under one year—we’ve already empowered more than 1,000 girls to become defenders against bullying behavior,” writes Collett.  “After completing the program, girls have thanked us for teaching them how to handle harassment and for helping adults actually understand what girls are like. Girls have shared how much they’ve learned—that it’s okay to help someone in need, ignoring bullying makes you a bully, and not to pick on anyone because they now know how much it can hurt. Since attending Power Up, girls have changed the way they look at bullying, how they think about people, and the way they treat everyone around them. We’re looking forward to the future, and being able to train more volunteer facilitators and teaching even more girls that doing nothing is not an option!” Read the entire piece here!

Thứ Tư, 1 tháng 5, 2013

CNBC Discusses Financial Literacy and Online Cookie Sales with Anna Maria Chávez

Anna Maria Chávez caught up with CNBC's Kayla Tausche recently, to discuss the thriving Girl Scout Cookie Program and the financial literacy and empowerment programs provided by Girl Scouts. Check it out!